The Easiest Answer
by LiveLaughGlee
Summary: Special was a word Ryder had always thought of when Marley Rose came to mind. To make this day anything less than special would be a sin and he was fully prepared to make sure that didn't happen. RYLEY ONE SHOT


The sun was just beginning to rise when the alarm on the desk started ringing and she was forced to open her eyes in order to get it to shut up. When she reached over, she was disappointed to feel cool sheets instead of his warm body. She sat up and looked around the room. Nothing was out of place. The room looked even neater than it had last night. Their suitcases had been put into the closet, or so she assumed, and her messy clothes were no longer lying sporadically on the floor.

Smiling and stretching as she sat up, she looked over at the side table and a smile landed on her face. Positioned so it was resting on the lamp, was a little card with his handwriting on it.

_Remember when I said I'd give you the best?_

_Four years have gone by and I'm still impressed._

_By your beauty and heart- it's all very true._

_But most of all, it's that I was chosen by you. _

_Go to the kitchen. There's a mission waiting for you. _

It'd be absurd to compare him to Robert Frost, but Marley was touched by the effort. The last sentence made her eyebrows scrunch as confusion set in. Quickly, she got out of bed, despite the fact that she was exhausted, and ran towards the kitchen. He wasn't around. Instead, there was a piece of pink paper hanging from the fridge. Sighing, she walked over to it and pulled it down.

_I've made you some food for you to eat. _

_Once you're done, look under your seat. _

Marley looked around, and sure enough there were a few pots on the stove covered with a glass lid to keep them warm. Had it been any other day, she would have called him up and yelled at him for leaving the stove on, but she decided against it. Considering the circumstances, though, she decided to put some eggs, bacon and pancakes onto her plate and made her way over the table.

It wasn't the best thing she'd ever tasted but it made her happy to know that he had tried. He got up early, the time he spent on this was still undetermined, and put together ingredients so she could enjoy them now. In that respect, it was the best meal she had ever had.

Once she was completely finished, which didn't take too long, she stood up and put her dishes into the sink, making a mental note to wash them later. Smiling, she skipped over to her chair and reached underneath of it. She bit her lip as her hand felt a piece of paper taped to the wood and smiled as she unfolded it.

_I'm sure you've had enough food to eat,_

_So there's somebody I'd love for you to meet._

_Be sure to get dressed and look for a clue._

_If you'd like a hint, it's in your shoe._

Laughing at his simple rhymes, Marley walked into the bathroom and brushed her teeth and hair, deciding it'd be best to just throw her hair into a ponytail. She pulled on a pair of jeans and a simple t-shirt before making her way to one of her closets and grabbing the pair of shoes she had worn last night. No note, no nothing. Sighing, she looked beyond them into the closet only to see about twenty pairs of shoes that couple possibly be hiding a piece of paper.

She was going to kill him.

About 13 shoes later, she finally came across a red pair of flats that she hadn't worn since she was in high school, which now that she thought about it, wasn't that long ago. Sticking out of it was a sliver of green paper which sure enough had another set of instructions. As she unfolded it though, there was a picture, or rather a map, he had drawn in blue ink. It was messy and a little confusing but she knew if she tried, she'd be able to figure it out.

Her phone rang and a picture of Kitty popped onto the screen but she ignored it as she walked out of the apartment complex and took a right, like the arrows on the map had directed. Eventually, the arrows ended and she found herself standing outside of a little pet store. Rolling her eyes, she pushed through the double doors and entered the building, peering around for him to be sitting on the floor with a puppy in his arms.

But he wasn't there.

"Marley?" A familiar voice said from behind her and she turned around quickly to offer him a smile. "So you got the maps?"

Marley nodded in Blaine's direction before looking around the store in search of something, or someone that was out of the ordinary. "So he told you?"

"Oh, he told me alright." Blaine chuckled, reaching out to hand Marley a little card. She frowned as she realized she'd have to follow yet another clue. "Read that and then I'll explain something later."

_I know when I'm away you feel alone, _

_Especially when I can't talk on the phone._

_Luckily for you, you don't have to worry._

_The solution is a friend who is a little furry. _

Marley glanced up from the letter and looked over at Blaine who was staring at her as if judging her reaction. She wondered how _he_ thought she was reacting because she really had no idea. Part of her was mad at Ryder for not discussing the idea of a pet, but another, bigger part of her was thrilled with the idea of taking care of something with him. It was a new adventure; one she wasn't sure why he was sending her around on a scavenger hunt for.

"So we're getting a dog?" She asked skeptically as she noticed Blaine glancing behind her and motioning someone over. Without a second thought, she turned around and saw a woman carrying a little black puppy towards them. He was absolutely adorable.

"Here's card number two." Blaine mentioned, shoving another paper into Marley's hands before taking the puppy from the woman's grasp. Marley looked down to see a picture of Ryder with a smile on his face as the puppy Blaine was now holding licked his face. "He wanted me to tell you to go and find a cage."

"I have to-?" Marley started to ask before she stopped herself. Of course he'd make her pick out the important things, like a cage and toys, while he only played with the puppy. That's what Ryder did. Turning, she walked down a few aisles before she found the aisle that had cages in it. There were big ones, and small ones, and ones with pillows built into them. She wasn't even sure where to start. Luckily, she realized she didn't have to pick one because hanging on one of the doors was another little note.

_You really thought I'd put you to work?_

_I may be weird, but I'm never a jerk. _

_Go to the place we first met. _

_Your mission isn't over just yet. _

Marley groaned and threw her head back as she realized this day was just getting started. The point was still unclear, although now she had a puppy coming along for the ride, or so she thought. When she left the aisle, Blaine was nowhere in sight.

"He took the puppy home, sweetie." The woman behind the cash register said. She didn't sound too thrilled but the smile on her face said otherwise. "It's really sweet what your boy is doing for you."

Marley nodded and couldn't help as her smile grew. "I know. I'm so lucky."

"That's exactly what he said when he was in here earlier." The woman recollected, chuckling slightly as Marley scrunched her eyebrows. "Well don't stay here and chat with me. Go finish your scavenger hunt."

Marley nodded her head and left the building with a smile on her face. She didn't think it'd ever go away at this rate. That boy never failed to amaze her and make her feel like she was the only girl in the world. The school was only a few blocks away from where she was standing, so she decided to walk.

It only took twenty minutes to make it to the front of the school and she bit her lip as she walked up the familiar path to the doors of the school. She was pretty sure they'd be locked considering it was a Saturday in the middle of the summer, but much to her surprise, one of the doors was cracked open by a rock. Was she supposed to just walk in? Isn't that considered breaking and entering?

_The place we first met_ echoed inside her head and she finally managed to groan and pull the door open, praying that if she got caught she wouldn't get in too much trouble. It shouldn't have surprised her when she managed to make it to her locker without being questioned by a security guard. She was a wallflower all throughout high school, why would it be any different now?

Of course on the outside of her locker, there was a little note written on green paper. Rolling her eyes, Marley ripped the paper down and turned so she was resting her back against her old locker.

_The hunt is almost done; you've made it pretty far. _

_This is the place you gave me my first scar._

_Watching you with Jake was truly a pain_

_But my love for you would always remain._

Marley bit her lip as she was reminded of her high school romance that had ended towards the end of their junior year. It had felt at the time so amazing to have two guys chasing after her and maybe that's why she ended up choosing Jake. She knew that after a while he'd stop chasing her, but Ryder would remain. The thought of her selfishness made her shutter and she turned quickly when she heard the sound of a plastic bag behind her.

"You're in on this too?" Marley asked the boy who was standing behind her holding a long clear bag. There was a dress inside and Marley recognized it immediately as the prom dress she had been wearing when Ryder asked her to be her boyfriend for the second time. She had requested he throw it out after a college party had gone wrong and grape juice had been sprayed all over it.

"It's a pretty big day for you." Jake mumbled with a smile on his face. Even though their breakup hadn't been on the best terms, he had remained best friends with Ryder and eventually he and Marley had decided it'd be best to just be friends. It had been easier than she thought it'd be. "I wasn't going to miss it for the world."

"Big day?" Marley cocked her eyebrows, reaching out to take the bag from his hands. The dress inside was a mint color, and to her surprise there was absolutely no stain on it. Was it even her dress?

Jake nodded his head but didn't offer any more words. Marley wondered if he was supposed to say anything in the first place but she shook the thought from her head and looked back down at her dress. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"It's a dress, Marls." Jake pointed out with a shake of his head. "What do you think you're supposed to do with it?"

She sighed and ran a hand through her already tangled hair. She preferred not to dress up; thinking the effort to actually look good wasn't worth the few short hours she'd spend in it. "I haven't even- is this all really necessary?"

Jake chuckled and shook his head again. "It's for one night Marls, and I promise you it's worth it." She watched as his smile grew before he once again shook his head. "You don't have to put it on now. You're actually supposed to-." He cut himself off as he started rifling through his jean pockets and she watched with a confused smile on her face before he pulled out a little piece of paper. "…read this first."

"Of course I am." She muttered, taking the note from his hand as he reached for the dress.

_You know, I obviously didn't think this through_

_I've found rhyming is hard but I'll do it for you_

_You know a blonde who's been with you through it all_

_You'll find her waiting at the mall. _

Once she looked up, Jake motioned for her to follow him. "I'm supposed to drive you to the mall. I'm still not entirely sure how I ended up with the hardest job." Marley looked over at him and scrunched his eyebrows. "Blaine gets to sit around and play with a puppy and I had to break into the school and drive you across town."

"At least you know what's going on." Marley pointed out with a smile as she sat down in his car. "I'm just following orders from my boyfriend who I haven't even seen today."

As he pulled out of the parking lot and into the street, he looked over at her and smiled. "Like I said, it'll be worth it."

Marley sat silently looking down at her hands as Jake drove throughout the town. It wasn't a long ride, but it felt like it took years to finally arrive at the mall. As Jake turned off the ignition and turned over towards her, he smiled again. "Well get out."

"With the dress?" She asked, raising her eyebrows slightly. She absolutely loved the dress, but walking around the mall with it was not something she wanted to do.

"Nope." Jake answered simply. "You'll get it back once you're done with Kitty, who-." Jake trailed off as he pointed out of the window behind Marley. "who is about to kill me for getting here late."

Marley laughed and climbed out of the car quickly and watched as Jake sped off in an attempt to get away from Kitty before all her fury was unleashed. Smiling, she walked up to Kitty and stopped in order to hug her. "Does that boy not have a watch? We have a schedule for a _reason._"

"So what's your job?" The two hadn't been friends forever and there were still times when Marley questioned if they were friends now. After the gunshot rang through McKinley, though, Marley knew that in tough times, Kitty would be there. Sure, she'd bring her sarcastic comments that dripped with hate, but at least Marley knew she'd have someone.

Kitty raised her eyebrows before sighing. "Follow me."

Before Marley could object, she was being dragged throughout the mall, carrying nothing but the multitude of notes that were hiding in her pockets. "Where are we-? Coffee?"

Kitty nodded and shoved Marley into one of the seats outside of the Lima Bean kiosk in the middle of the mall. Hardly anyone was around but she could still hear several conversations coming from the people around her. Blinking as she fought to hide her slight confusion, she watched as Kitty walked up to the counter. She may not have known what was going on and she was sure she didn't deserve it, but coffee wasn't what she was expecting. The other presents had been big and well thought out. Maybe he had grown tired of planning.

"This is the last time I get _your_ coffee." Kitty grumbled as she placed a small cup of steaming coffee in front of the brunette. Marley smiled and licked her lips before wrapping her hands around the cup. She hadn't noticed how cold she was before now. "I tried to tell Pea brain this earlier but he just yelled at me."

Marley rolled her eyes as she sipped her coffee. "So what's the surprise?"

"The sur-? Oh you mean what he's planning?" Kitty asked with a smirk on her face. "I may be a bitch, but I'm not going to be the one to ruin this for him- or you."

"For him?"

Kitty nodded and pursed her lips and she glanced down at her watch. "Your boy toy is pretty keen on the element of surprise. Now get up. Come on, we're late."

"Late for what…?" Kitty started but once again she was already being dragged out the doors of the mall towards the back parking lot. "Are you going to beat me up?"

Kitty chuckled and shook her head as she glanced around the parking lot. Nobody was out here, though, because the mall wasn't crowded enough for people to have to park back here. This lot was really only used at Christmas time when everyone was scrambling to get their kids exactly what they wanted. A few seconds later, a long black limo pulled up and Marley couldn't help but gasp.

"For me?" She asked with a bright smile. Kitty nodded and waited for the limo driver to open the back of the car so the two girls could get in. Marley looked around and was once again disappointed when she didn't see Ryder. "Where's Ryder?"

"He's waiting at your next stop." Kitty informed her as she scooted closer to her friend with a long plastic bag in her arms. "Now, I'm here to help you put this on."

Even though it was tricky and she wasn't coordinated enough to change in a moving limo, Marley allowed her friend to pull the dress over her head. Her hair surely didn't look up to par with her dress but then again, she knew Ryder never really cared what she looked like. He loved her anyway. The thought made her smile as the came to a stop in front of her apartment.

"I have to wear a dress to walk inside my own house?" Marley asked in disbelief. She bit her lip as Kitty ignored her and pushed her out of the car.

"Have fun, Marley." Kitty said as she led Marley towards the door of the building. "Tell me all about it later."

"Aren't you coming up too?" Marley asked as the doorman came out to hold the door for her. Kitty shook her head and motioned Marley to go on without her, which Marley happily did, knowing that Ryder was up in their apartment.

The elevator ride seemed to last for hours as she fidgeted uncomfortably in her dress. She was still amazed that the stains had seemingly disappeared, but she shook the thought from her head as the doors opened. She could see her door and a little piece of paper hiding the peephole from view. Sighing, she took the piece of paper in her hand.

"_High school ended and I didn't know_

_If you'd stay and if I'd go_

_I remember that I thought we'd end. _

_I was sure my heart would never mend. _

_But I was wrong and I thank the Lord._

_Because losing you; I couldn't afford._

_And I know I can always count on you_

_And I hope you know I'm here for you too._

_You're my one true love and I love you so much._

_When I'm away, I dream of your touch._

_I know you're probably tired, so come inside…"_

Marley paused and flipped the card over, confused as to why it ended without another rhyme. She was sure he'd at least make the last one rhyme, but she convinced herself that he just couldn't think of a rhyme for inside. She'd tease him about it later.

With a smile, she pushed the door open and gasped as she saw a red tablecloth and candles sitting on the table accompanied by what looked like a five-course meal. Standing with a smirk on his face, was Ryder. He was leaning against the countertops and his black suit mesmerized her. She bit her lip and slowly approached him.

"Couldn't think of a word to rhyme with inside?" She teased, cocking her head to the side as she wrapped her arms around him. "There's always cried, died, and ride. Even slide. And then there's-."

"Bride." Ryder interrupted as he pushed her back slightly. "Bride rhymes with inside."

"Y-yes. It does." She beamed, nodding her head in confirmation. Her eyebrows scrunched when she noticed him chuckle and shake his head.

"Marley, when I think back to high school, the only thing that I can remember is you. People ask me what my favorite memory is, and I think of you smiling in Glee club. When people ask me my favorite song; I think of one of your songs. My favorite color is blue just because whenever I see it, your eyes pop into my head. I am completely in love with you.

"We've known each other for seven years and even though you didn't like me, I loved you since I met you. You were so real, so honest and I loved every second I spent with you. Looking back on it, I think that you dating Jake was a good thing because now I know what it's like to lose you to someone else. I never want to have to go through that again."

"Ryder, you won't-." Marley started before she felt him step back again. When she opened her eyes, and she wasn't actually sure when she'd shut them, he was kneeling and looking up at her with a smile on his face.

"I love you Marley Rose." He whispered as a single tear rolled down her face. "Will you do me the honor of being my bride?"

Marley felt her eyes water more as she brought her hands up to her face to cover her mouth. "Bride rhymes with inside!" She yelped as her whole body started to shake. "Of course I'll marry you!"

Ryder jumped up and pulled Marley towards him. She buried her face in his chest and memorized his scent at this exact moment. He smelled like wet dog…

"What's with the puppy?" She asked as she suddenly remembered the first part of her day. He smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

"I knew that you were going to be pestering me about wedding plans for the next few months so I figured the least I deserve is a puppy." He answered with a sly smile on his face. "He uh… he kinda got into our fridge."

"He did what?" Marley asked as she turned around to walk towards the fridge.

"Don't worry though!" Ryder urged as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back towards him. "I cleaned the floor and gave him a bath. Instead, I think we should eat."

"I love you so much, Ry." Marley mumbled honestly as she was pulled over to the delicious smelling food.

"I love you too, Mrs. Lynn." He answered as he pulled her chair out for her.

Mrs. Marley Lynn. She loved the sound of it.

**Yay for a story that doesn't end in death! Aren't you proud of me? Ryder is still alive! Woo. Thanks for reading and please comment to tell me what you think. It's pretty long so sorry for that but I didn't want to cut anything out. **

**Love you all! **


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